The Montreal Canadiens returned to the Bell Centre on Tuesday night with a golden opportunity to take a commanding 3-1 series lead against the Buffalo Sabres. But as any hockey fan knows, the playoffs are never that straightforward.

In what was another gritty, hard-fought battle, the Habs found themselves undone by a familiar foe: their powerplay. Despite being handed seven man-advantage opportunities, Montreal managed to convert on just one, ultimately falling 3-2 to the Sabres.

The game started on a sour note for the Canadiens, who once again struggled through the opening 10 minutes. It's been a recurring theme throughout the rebuild—while the team has made remarkable strides in nearly every area, those first few minutes of the game remain a stubborn weakness.

Buffalo appeared to jump out to a 2-0 lead, but a sharp challenge from head coach Martin St-Louis wiped the second goal off the board, keeping the deficit at just one. That moment proved to be a turning point, injecting life into a Habs squad that had looked sluggish.

The energy shift was immediate. Montreal came alive, and it didn't take long for the usual suspect to strike. Alex Newhook buried his sixth goal of the playoffs—and his fifth in just three games—to tie the game. If there's any doubt about who's driving the offense for Montreal right now, Newhook is answering it with every shift.

Perhaps the most telling sign of Montreal's growth came in how they protected their net. After the Sabres ran rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes at full speed in Game 4, the Canadiens made it clear in Game 5: nobody touches their MVP. Every time traffic built up around the crease, Habs defenders were there to clear the way and send a message.

Then came a soft call on Tage Thompson, and Cole Caufield made the Sabres pay. For the second straight game, Montreal's sniper found the back of the net on the powerplay. While he's still searching for that elusive 5v5 goal, you won't hear any complaints from Habs fans—goals are gold in the playoffs, no matter how they come. And with Caufield heating up, the timing couldn't be better for Montreal.